beaming90

Thanks Lois, it is so nice after 50 years or so of never even going to the Superbowl!!

We aren't cruising till next January, and I have already decided to wear white capris with my Mahomes jersey!  That will be fun!

My mom loved the two cruises she took and one time mentioned having her ashes scattered at sea.  I have a beautiful urn.  Which I have never looked into.  Do they open?  If I was to do this, do I carry the urn with me?  Or is it better to use a zip lock baggie so as not to be so heavy?  I know I sound like a dork, but I am legitimately asking this.  Thanks!  Lisa

On 4/8/2023 at 11:12 AM, jsn55 said:

Yes, watching the sailaway from your balcony, NOT the 'sailaway party' on the ship.  With a glass of champagne.   I strive to book an aft-facing balcony when we cruise if the ship has them.  Got one just randomly several years ago and I'm hooked.    

I love watching everything from my balcony.  On our Alaskan cruise, we got up about 4:30 one morning as we were arriving in Juneau, went down to the buffet and got coffee and tea and sat on the balcony watching the sun come up and we got closer to land.  The scenery was gorgeous and it is one of my favorite cruise memories.   The other one was my first balcony cruise, the Glory with my mom who is now gone.  We were on our balcony in St Thomas as we were leaving port and it was dark.  There were all kinds of people taking flash pictures of our ship from inside a building, I assume was a restaurant.  We felt like royalty, even though they could not see us!  

I have only ever watched the departure from the rear of the ship, I will have to try it from the front next time.  Great idea!

Thank you all.  We are from the class of 1983 and next year most of us turn 60 so who ever from my class that wants to go is planning to go.  That is what I mean by a class reunion type.  I have a great TA but I like to do my own research too so that is why I was asking.  No idea how many will go, we are finalizing the date tonight and then will get everyone the TA's info to start booking.  Cannot wait!!

4 hours ago, Bollycats said:

Looked at it in the morning? I'm looking at menus 8 months in advance of my cruise and have already picked out what I'm going to eat everyday!

I did that on my last cruise!  I knew months in advance what I would ask for at least for dinner each evening!

Hi, maybe I am blind but is there a forum on here for group cruising?  I am getting together a class reunion type (our 60th birthday actually) cruise and plan on Jan. 4, 2025 on the Carnival Freedom at this time.  But I don't see a place where I can see other people group cruise questions etc.  Am I missing it?  Thanks in advance!  

August 2019 - Holland America OOsterdam to Alaska!

This may be a silly question, in the times when it is recommended that you stay inside, do they lock the balcony doors?  Do they have the availability to even do that?  I'm guessing there is no way to do it because you might lock someone out?  Just wondering, no reason why.  Just a wandering thought that popped up in my mind.  Thanks guys!

Thanks!  I was hoping it wasn't just me forgetting how to search...

I am beginning to work on a group cruise, our class of 83 will be all or mostly all turning 60 in 2025 and so we are planning a class cruise.  We want the Bahamas or Eastern Caribbean.  All I can find is Mexico and the Bahamas from Virginia. (We are in Kansas mostly) Is it just too soon?  That is what I am assuming, or maybe they are just not wanting my money?  Hee hee.  Never done a group cruise before so a little nervous about it all.  Thank you for your help in advance!

On our first cruise my mom and I had a hard time meeting people because they kept seating us at tables for two but on disembarkation day we ate breakfast with a lovely couple from somewhere in England who had flown over to Orlando, Florida just to get on the cruise and were flying back later that day.  My mom just thought that was the neatest thing that we met people from England!  On our last cruise there were four of us and one morning we ate breakfast with a couple from Walla Walla and each time one of us would see them we'd have to say hi Walla Walla friends!  Not cruise travel but as a high school sophomore back in 1981 our band got to play at the Marti Gras and Andy Gibb was in our hotel and got off the elevator as we got on!  That was fun!!!

On 11/22/2019 at 10:27 PM, George C said:

We are sailing next Saturday two of my favorites of many are

Beyond the sea - Bobby Darin 

Sailing - Christoffer Cross , who we have seen a few times in concerts and sometimes plays cruise ships

I know this is an old post but I saw it and just wanted to say, I never paid attention to Somewhere Beyond the Sea till we went on our first cruise (Carnival Fantasy) and heard it several times and now I love that song!!!  Sailing is good too and Sail On by the Commodores is also one of my favorites.

Only 510!  Going with a newbie who has to save up for a while.  So looking forward to it!!

Only Carnival and Holland America but looking forward to the next one in only 510 days!

Oh boy, just turned 56 three months ago, am I old or still in the younger category?  This has to be one of the craziest threads!  How very funny!!!!  We should all go cruising as old folks!

My review of the Holland America MS Oosterdam

08/04/19-08/11/19

We flew out of Kansas City International on Sunday morning, the 4^th of August on an Alaskan Air flight leaving at 6 AM.  The flight was very crowded and apparently sold out so I was glad we got there at 4 AM.  As we were descending into Seattle we saw our ship, so that was very exciting!  There were four of us cruising together, I am 54, my roommate on the cruise Elsie who is in her mid 80’s, and our friends Jim and Anne who were celebrating their 75^th birthdays on the cruise.  We were on the Oosterdam in Signature Staterooms 8091 and 8093.  We flew in to Seattle and got some scrumptious Macarons there at the airport (Lady Yum!!  YUMMY!!!!) We found the HAL people by the luggage area just as we were told and checked in our luggage at the little desk so we no longer had to carry that around and had lunch at Starbucks.  Then we went to the area where they told us to wait for the bus.  This was a long walk and not for anyone with bad legs.  Got there and found seats over in the NCL area I think it was.  Waited forever it seemed but they finally had us come over to a specific area and stand there a while then we were on the bus and on our way to the ship.  Once we got to the terminal, it seemed as though it took forever but we were in groups F and G to board, F boarded and they called G at 11:30 AM and told us then that our rooms were ready so we went right to our rooms and set our stuff down, then ate at the Lido deck looking out on a gorgeous marina and boats sailing in the Puget Sound (I think).  While in the terminal we heard that the Blue Angels would be flying at 3:30 so as we were mustering we were welcomed by an Angel fly by.  They got closer as it got closer to time for us to sail.  We watched from the back of the ship and suddenly the ropes were dropped and we were off on our way to Alaska!

We had anytime seating for dinner and we went to the dining room a little late that night, I am the world’s pickiest eater and nothing on the menu sounded good so I ordered steak and fries.  My fries tasted a little funny, kind of sweet even…I asked one of the ladies to try them and she said they were sweet so we called the Maître D (Sekan - now known as my sugar daddy) over and he tasted one and scrunched up his nose and busted out laughing.  Turns out there was someone new in the kitchen that got the sugar and salt confused and I was forever known as the sugar fry lady!  All the waiters heard about it and it caused a lot of laughter through the whole trip. 

Monday was a sea day and if I remember it right it was really foggy at first and the ship horn blew every couple minutes but that didn’t bother any of us.  We slept in and had breakfast delivered to the room and just explored the ship all day.  We got to tour a little of the kitchen that day, that was fun and got a couple of samples of appetizers.  We lost a little money in the casino and just had a great day.  That evening was the gala dinner and it was yummy!  Then we went to bed a little early once again to be ready for Juneau the next day!

Tuesday we woke up nice and early – 5:30 AM or so and got coffee and tea from the Lido deck then watched the sunrise from our balcony.  It was beautiful! 

We had breakfast that morning in the dining room and met a really great couple from Walla Walla Washington, but the food was just ok.  I loved Juneau!  We went gold panning, so fun!  Did a little shopping and then did the evening whale watching with Gastineau Guiding and it was wonderful!  I didn’t get any good pictures of whales but we saw two, and were able to identify them.  I am not sure what the one’s name was but the second one we saw was Sasha!  But I did get ok pics of Sea lions, eagles, a jelly fish and we saw seals too.  It was an incredible excursion and I recommend anyone take it!  It was so much fun.  There were only 20 of us on the boat and Dan Michrowski was our guide and he was very knowledgeable.

The next day we were in Sitka and it was my favorite of all the stops we made!  We didn’t have anything planned so we rode into town and looked around a little, went back to the port and did a little shopping and enjoyed sitting on our balcony watching the world go by.  Then we got to do the behind the scenes tour of the Bridge, that was great fun.  There were only four of us on the tour and the assistant cruise director made it so much fun.  The next day there were 6 of us on the other part where we saw the engine room, the laundry, kitchen, and storage areas.  It was well worth the $150 I think it was that it cost! 

Ketchikan we had no plans either so we got a tour of the city we bought on the pier and we made several stops looking at the Salmon and looking for bears but never saw any.  Did a little more shopping and enjoyed the view of Ketchikan from our balcony once again.  Later that evening we played in the casino and I won $614!

Victoria we just went into town and back again and the funnest part for me was singing O Canada on my balcony while in Canada. (I have sung it a few times for a local baseball team when they play a Canadian team.) I attended the past guest party and enjoyed it at lunch.  And we sadly packed.

We also saw a glacier on one day, apparently that did not make that much of an impression on me as I don’t even remember what day we did it.

The ship was fabulous, our room stewards went above and beyond every day!  The food was ok.  I am just too picky.  Our rooms had adjoining doors and our balconies were open before we even got there so that was nice!  Our beds were supposed to be two twins and they were not but that only took about 10 minutes after we talked to our steward to be fixed.  I had purchased the Thalassotherapy pool pass and only used it twice.  There was just too much other stuff going on.  It was a great trip and I would HIGHLY recommend the Oosterdam!

I just got off the Oosterdam on August 11 and there was no strange noises and the cabin air temp was perfect.  My bed was right under the vent but I was comfortable!!

We saw where it said priority Club Orange seating but never really noticed anyone in line to go there and they never told us we were in the wrong place when we got in line.  Sorry!

The trip was fabulous!  I will post a review later, we had Signature Suites 8091 and 8093.  Our balcony was already open when we got on last Sunday and that was fabulous!  Ask me questions and I will try to answer! 

Thank you for all the help while planning this wonderful cruise.  I can't believe it is here this weekend!!  SO EXCITED!!!!!

I have already purchased the spa pass months ago, so I could use this pool!

Thanks guys!  We took my mom to see her sisters a couple years ago and we stayed at a Holiday Inn and we only got to go to the indoor pool once because it was so loud with kids.  Which is fine but I was thinking maybe this would be adults only.  Yea!!  Thanks again!

Leaving on the Oosterdam in 7 days!!!!  Remind me. I think I know the answer already but the Thalassotherapy pool is adults only correct?  I just had a vision of kids kicking and splashing and screaming while I am trying to relax.  Thanks guys!!